SLIGO'S home atmosphere and attacking attitude are the biggest dangers to Armagh this weekend, according to the latter's manager Kieran McGeeney.
The Orchard County head to Markievicz Park on Saturday off the back of a morale-boosting 14-point qualifier round one win over Westmeath, whereas their hosts were walloped by 21 points by another set of maroons, Galway, in the Connacht semi-final.
Armagh also won by 14 points when they hosted Sligo at the start of Division Three this year, but McGeeney insisted this weekend's round two qualifier will be a very different matter: "They got better as the year went by. When we played them we probably had a full squad to pick from - the squad that we have for this year - they didn't; that's probably turned around.
"The biggest thing about Sligo is that they shoot probably more than any other team across the four divisions, outside of Dublin and Kerry. They always have a high shot rate.
"Even against Galway, which would be seen as one of the best defences out there at the moment, they scored 1-12, whereas Mayo scored 12, and Sligo hit about 13 wides too. That's just the way they've always played, Sligo have a high shot-to-attack ratio.
"And then when they're in Markievicz Park, the likes of [Adrian] Marren especially feels at home, he's quality. They have [Pat] Hughes and [Kyle] Cawley in there too - and their whole half-back line is nearly like a half-forward line."
The Mullaghbawn man admitted that his county didn't cope with the partisan support in Brewster Park when Fermanagh knocked them out of Ulster: "They didn't deal with the atmosphere as well as we probably should have. We knew it was coming, we played them [there] in the League...The biggest problem was, we should have been, but we weren't, ready for the atmosphere we were in."
Something similar should be anticipated in Markievicz Park, a testing venue for most visitors, argues McGeeney: "It's not a tight pitch but it plays tight, for some reason. Sligo are always good there.
"There are certain teams that have played well at home for a long time - Longford would be one of them, Sligo would be another, Westmeath usually as well. They all have good footballers; what you're hoping for is to be able to stay with them, and gain confidence and traction in the first half, then push on from that.
"Sligo will fancy their chances at home, as all teams do in these first and second rounds - it's worth a couple of points. Coming off a defeat, a home venue can help. It's a 50-50 game and it's probably going to come down to who gets traction in the first half."
Asked if that meant Armagh must get ahead on the scoreboard early on, McGeeney replied: "It's about dealing with your mistakes - everybody makes mistakes, but don't let them take you into a negative spiral, don't be afraid to take that chance, kick the ball in or carry it."
Armagh will also hope the home crowd doesn't sway the referee, having been denied victory on their last visit to Sligo, also in the first round of the League last year, when Marren levelled for the hosts from a controversial last-gasp penalty. "I haven't seen it called before and I haven't seen it called since - that somebody gives a penalty from 55 yards," recalled McGeeney ruefully.
However, Armagh should be able to count on a sizeable travelling support again: "Since I was a child, Armagh have had a great support. There's a core group of 2-3,000 people who come to all the games. I don't mind listening to any one of them.
"They are good supporters; they mightn't always agree with what I'm doing and I mightn't always agree with what they're saying, but they're good people and they'd do anything for Armagh.
"My parents were big Armagh supporters even before I kicked a ball, and so were my uncles and everybody around me - and they're still going to games. There's a good, solid core group there and I can guarantee you Sligo will be packed on Saturday night, the clubs as well as the pitch. They like travelling and having a bit of craic.
"I think the GAA should be trying to grow that, there should be far more games during the year."
If Armagh play to their potential, they can have at least one more match this season.
